SMA ACFT DEPARTING WITHOUT A FLT PLAN ENCOUNTERED WX AND RPTR PLT ENTERED IMC WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT CTR FOR AN IFR CLRNC. RPTR WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN VFR; BUT DIDN'T TELL CTLR HE WAS UNABLE OR ALREADY IN THE CLOUDS.

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I WAS PLANNING A DEP FROM 0A7 IN A C172 -- MY DEST WAS W88. MY FSS WX BRIEFING INDICATED CEILINGS AT APPROX 2000 FT AGL AT THE AVL ARPT AND IMPROVING TO THE E (3000 FT AGL AND HIGHER). VISIBILITIES WERE 4-10 MI (4 MI AT AVL; 10 MI AT GS0/W88). I ELECTED TO DEPART VFR AND RETURN TO 0A7 IF IT APPEARED AS THOUGH I COULD NOT SAFELY MAKE IT OVER THE 3000-4000 FT (MSL) RIDGE TO THE E. IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEP; I BEGAN A CLB TO THE E; CEILINGS APPEARED TO BE VARIABLE 1000 FT AGL TO 1500 FT AGL AT FIRST; AND I CONTINUED E AT 600-700 FT AGL (2600-2700 FT MSL). I COULD NOT SEE THE TOP OF THE RIDGE WHICH I KNEW WAS IN FRONT OF ME AND THOUGHT THAT I SHOULD RETURN; BUT INSTEAD DECIDED TO CONTACT ZTL (125.15) FOR A 'POP-UP' IFR CLRNC. I WAS NOT ABLE TO HAIL THEM AT FIRST AND REALIZED THAT I HAD LOST GND CONTACT. I BEGAN A CLB TO THE SECTIONAL QUADRANT MEF OF 4800 FT. IN THE MEANTIME; ZTL TOLD ME TO CALL AVL APCH. I WAS IMC AT THIS POINT; CONTINUING ON A 090 DEG HDG. AFTER INSTRUCTING ME TO REMAIN VFR (WHICH I WAS UNABLE TO DO; BUT DID NOT TELL THEM SO); THEY CLRED ME TO 7000 FT IFR. I BELIEVE THAT I ERRED IN MY JUDGEMENT TO CONTINUE MY FLT WHEN I COULD NOT SEE THE RIDGE TOP. I ALSO REGRET THAT I WAS NOT TRUTHFUL WITH ATC REGARDING MAINTAINING VFR. I COULD HAVE AVERTED MY SIT BY RETURNING TO 0A7 WHILE STILL IN VMC OR BY FILING AN IFR FLT PLAN PRIOR TO DEP.